Unions demand parliament debate on pension reforms

Unions demanding a referendum on changes to the Pension Law in front of parliament (Photo: Patrik Macek/PIXSELL)

Three union federations behind the "67 is too much" initiative demanded in front of Croatian parliament today that the government and parliament adopt a decision to call a referendum on changes to the Pension Insurance Law as soon as possible. They warn that if this is not done they will organize protests.

Domestic Branko LozančićSept. 16, 2019, 12:50 p.m.

The unions are demanding that the parliament speaker adds the calling of a referendum on the basis of the “67 is too much” initiative as soon as possible.

“Three months and three days have passed since we were here and submitted almost 750 000 signatures. Besides information from the Administration Ministry that there are enough signatures, we haven't received any other formal information from the Croatian government of Croatian parliament regarding further procedures related to our initiative,” said Mladen Novosel the head of the Union of Autonomous Trade Unions of Croatian.

Novosel warned that if a referendum is not held representatives of authorities must be aware of a certain fact. “Croatian representatives entered parliament through the will of citizens. If they don't want to respect that will of the citizens, it is our duty, as initiators of this action, to call these Croatian citizens to come out onto the streets and say what they think of such a government and such a Croatian parliament,” said Novosel.

“They still have enough time to call a referendum, hold it somewhere in October, and in that way approach the elections for the president and next year’s elections for Croatian parliament in a relaxed manner,” noted the President of the Independent Trade Unions Federation Krešimir Sever.

The head of the Croatian Unions Centre Vilim Ribić has told Prime Minister Andrej Plenković that the Croatian Democratic Union is currently in government thanks to approximately the same amount of votes as there were signatures collected to call a referendum, 750 000.

“Therefore I say that it is extremely important to hold a referendum as a sign of democratic culture,” said Ribić pointing out the fact that the prime minister decides what Croatian parliament will do.

Source: HRT